


Flying Lessons

by Artemitica



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:54:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22640602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemitica/pseuds/Artemitica
Summary: Vaan has an opportunity to learn a few things from Balthier. He's a very eager apprentice.
Relationships: Balthier/Vaan (Ivalice Alliance)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56





	Flying Lessons

**Author's Note:**

> So, I started on this when the remake came out for the Switch, and then I left it half finished for a few months. 
> 
> This happens in-game, but towards the end of it. Vaan might still be 17? If that bothers you and you're assuming what the Ivalice age of consent is, then this isn't for you. Or just pretend they did all the side quests and hunts and he's 18 now, it doesn't matter to me. 
> 
> On to the smut.

It wasn’t long after they had left Balfonheim that the trouble started.

A sudden loud series of clanks, metal shuddering against metal, and the Strahl began to shake. Ashe gripped the armrests of her seat, eyes widening.

“What is that?!”

“A problem,” Balthier said with consternation. He was already flipping switches and punching buttons on the center console, even as an array of angry red warning lights began blinking on the control panel. An alarm, not loud but certainly worrisome, began to sound.

“It is the magicite regulator,” Fran said. Her voice was calm despite the flashing chaos.

“It’s not the regulator,” Balthier said. “I’ve just had it serviced.”

Vaan came rushing forward from the galley, eyes alight. “What’s going on?” he asked. He struggled, as always, to see around the chairs in the cockpit. As much as he wanted to watch Balthier and Fran pilot the airship, maybe learn a thing or two about flying, he and Penelo had to give up their seats to Ashe and Basch. Now, both were looking panicked beneath their practiced noble demeanor of calm. Basch was reaching for his sword, out of habit from whenever trouble arose, as if he could slay the mechanical problem. Vaan tried to angle himself towards Balthier. “Emergency landing?” He tried not to sound overly excited at the idea. 

Balthier didn’t respond to him. “Fran, I’m afraid I have to ask you to manage the energy output manually,” he said.

“That is not sustainable,” she warned, but was already rising from her seat. 

“I realize that,” Balthier said, with a flurry of inputs on the control screen. “But it will have to do so that I can put her down safely.”

“We won’t make it back to Balfonheim,” Ashe warned, alarm in her voice despite her efforts at composure. Fran swerved past her, and Vaan hopped out of the way to let the Viera through. 

“We’ll end up in the ocean!” Ashe warned.

“Can’t do that,” Balthier said. “I’m afraid the Strahl doesn’t float all that well. And I’m simply not dressed for a swim.”

“Bhujerba!” Vaan blurted out. Ashe and Basch glared at him, and he felt his cheeks redden-- another time he must have said something stupid in front of them. 

Balthier glanced back at Vaan over his shoulder, flashing him a smile. “That’s precisely what I was thinking. All we need is Fran to channel some Mist to give the engines a little bit of attention, and--”

As he said this, the Strahl jolted again, this time with the manual magick power. The altitude gauge stabilized, and a few of the warning lights flickered off. As Ashe and Basch gripped the armrests of their seats, Vaan watched Balthier’s face, the little flicker and hint of warmth before he turned back. _Did he… did he just wink at me?_ Vaan would have buckled forward if not for his hold on the back of the passenger seats. His blood ran warm as he stared at the back of Balthier’s head, wondering both if he had imagined it, and why his reaction was so strong.

A few more angry shudders sent the Strahl rocketing through the air, Balthier letting her coast on each burst, nursing the throttle and rerouting power systems. Before Vaan really got a hold of himself, the clouds were parting with the Bhujerban skycity on the horizon. Balthier hit the communicator, radioing the Aerodrome tower, requesting emergency clearance.

The comm fuzzed static before the response. “Copy that, bhadra… we need you to circle around while we prep a landing bay.”

Shaking his head, Balthier slammed his palm into the comm button. “I’m afraid we don’t have the magicite reserves for another circle. We’re either coming down in a landing bay, or in the middle of the Marquis’ garden.”

“Balthier!” Ashe gasped. 

“Cutting it close, I admit,” he said. “Vaan, get up here. I need you.”

Vaan suddenly forgot how to work his arms and legs. He must have misheard. Balthier looked back over his shoulder impatiently.

“Get up there,” Basch clapped Vaan’s shoulder. “So we don’t crash.”

“Right,” Vaan said, and dashed forward, sliding into the co-pilot’s chair still warm from Fran’s body.

“I’m manually controlling too many other systems,” Balthier said. “Surely you can handle the landing gear.”

“Yeah, landing gear. Got it.” He looked at the array of dials, switches and buttons on his side of the console, the warning lights still blinking impatiently, the amount of gauges reading in the red.

“Left side, three blue switches right in a row,” Balthier ordered. “Flip them from left to right, count to ten in between each one.”

Vaan’s heart was pounding as he hit the first one and began a count, and he felt ridiculous because of it. He had fought beasts and dragons and the undead without breaking a sweat. Why would this make him so nervous? Why was he so paranoid about seeming like a fool?

The comm buzzed. “Bhujerba tower to Strahl. We’ve cleared bay B-8 for you, bhadra. Standing by for your arrival.”

“That’s more like it,” Balthier said, angling the Strahl towards the bay gates opening at the top of the Aerodrome. He hit the button. “Copy that, B-8. Much obliged.”

A flurry of frantic activity, in which Vaan tried his best to keep a level head and follow orders from Balthier, and the airship settled noisily into the hangar bay. Balthier powered down the engines and sank back into his seat, exhaling deeply. Vaan could only stare at the dark control panels before him, hands still shaking. 

“Just so I know,” Ashe said, the previous panic in her voice slowly being replaced by irritation, “exactly how close did we just come to drowning in the middle of the Naldoan Sea?”

“The magicite regulator is a vital part of an airship’s operations,” Balthier said, not looking at her.

“I thought you said it wasn’t the regulator?” Vaan said. Balthier turned to him, an icy look in his eyes. 

“It’s not the regulator,” he repeated. “But it’s everything around the damned thing. Thought I’d save a gil or two by using non-union repair moogles while Nono was at his family reunion… last time I’ll make that mistake.”

Penelo stumbled through from the galley, supporting an exhausted Fran under her arm. Balthier started to rise quickly, but Fran waved a finger at him.

“I am fine,” she said. “I just need… a little rest.”

“I’m going to take her to the inn,” Penelo said. “Channeling all that Mist is tiring.”

“Let me lend my hand,” Basch said, rising.

“Thank you,” Balthier said, concern edging his features. Fran shook her head at him dismissively, and let Basch usher her out the gangplank. There was a long silence, which Ashe finally broke. 

“How long will it take to fix?” she asked. 

“Depends on the extent of the damage our emergency maneuvers put her through,” Balthier said. “Though I’d imagine it would be best for us to find a comfortable place to stay in Bhujerba for the time being, while I try to discern precisely what’s wrong with my ship.”

\--- --- ---

Vaan wasn’t much for waiting around. With Fran resting, he had suggested an expedition into the mines, to see what kinds of monsters might be lurking around-- and what kind of loot they might drop. No one seemed to be moved much by his suggestion, and when Ashe suggested shopping, Penelo instantly brightened. Basch, sworn to protect the princess, was obligated to act as their escort.

“Coming, Vaan?” Penelo asked.

“You guys go ahead,” he said, deflated. “I’ll just hang around here, I guess.”

“Stay out of those mines,” Basch warned. “You never know what trouble you might get into on your own.”

Vaan nodded, and watched them go. He hadn’t really wanted to explore the mines. He had wanted a distraction. 

The thoughts hadn’t been this bad since he had returned to Rabanastre after escaping the Nalbina dungeons. Down in the prison, when those Seeq had dragged him away, _he_ had jumped down to save him. Asked him if he was okay. Vaan had felt lightheaded at that, unable to feel his feet, up until the battle started. And then they had fought, side-by-side. And then now, facing total mechanical failure and nearly falling out of the sky, he had handled the whole thing, and called Vaan up to his side. Balthier was fearless. Like a real sky pirate should be.

The looks he had given him, the things he had said, had only served to fuel his dreams. Vaan had done his very best to distract himself-- after all, there was always something new, dangerous, and exciting to occupy him, whether it was Penelo getting kidnapped or Viera driven crazy by Mist or ancient tomb traps rumbling back to life. But then at night, in the quiet stillness, there was nothing to divert his thoughts. He would struggle with long stretches of restlessness, only to fall into quick dreams that were more sensation than substance, with flashes of _him_... his gaze, his smirk, the outline of his body. The kinds of dreams where he awoke tingling, his nerves electrified. The kinds of dreams that made his hands move downwards, his body begging for release. 

He couldn’t stay in the inn room, so he went wandering about town. He got a few prying looks, maybe from people who remembered him from his earlier visit, where he had drawn all too much attention to himself. Before he realized it, he was ducking into the Aerodrome, through a side passage usually reserved for mechanics. He had done this hundreds of times back in Rabanastre, as a kid-- sneaking in to watch the ships land and take off, dreaming of the day when he could fly one of his own, and be free of the slums and the poverty and the boredom.

He had done it, though. He was as far as he could be from Lowtown, now, on a continent floating in the sky. And he had flown an airship… kind of. He had landed one, at Balthier’s instructions. At least he hadn’t messed that up. 

He dodged around the big skyliners to the private ship docking area, dismissing the shabby, run-down trading vessels and amateur hobby ships. Machines that had once captivated him now paled in comparison to the Strahl, all sleek, stylish, polished and debonair. He stopped when he saw it, as he did every time he saw it-- taking in the curves and cannons, the size of the engines and the gleam of the cockpit, the ornamentation and the hinged wings that would spread gracefully like a bird in flight. _This_ was a sky pirate’s ship.

The hangar, however, seemed devoid of life. He had expected to find Balthier here, or at least some repair moogles-- although, if shoddy mechanics had caused the problem, Balthier may be reluctant to let them fix it-- but he found no one. He looked up the ramp at the boarding door. It was closed and likely locked, but…

With a glance over his shoulder, he crept up the ramp. The door was locked with a passcode, but he had watched Balthier put it in so many times. The door whooshed open. Vaan stole inside before he could think twice about what he was doing.

Something about sitting in that co-pilot’s chair, alongside Balthier, had left him tingling. He knew just going back to the cockpit, looking over the control panel he had struggled to see clearly for so long wouldn’t really scratch that itch, but he couldn’t help himself.

_I’m not going to touch anything,_ Vaan told himself. _I just want to look. I just want to see what it’s like._ He crept up to the cockpit, barely realizing that he was tiptoeing. He slid his hand across the top of the instrument panel, letting out a slow exhalation. He looked to the captain’s chair, where Balthier had been sitting just that morning. Vaan let his hand run across the top of the seat back, down the side, onto the armrest. He held his breath, and pivoted to sit down in the chair.

He couldn’t stop smiling. He sank back, spreading his arms onto the armrests, his shaking fingers reaching for the steering. The power, the freedom, the thrill-- everything he had always dreamed of, and it was all right here. He closed his fingers around the handles in front of him, closed his eyes, and sank back into the cushion of the pilot’s seat. He breathed deep, savoring the feeling. He thought he could smell him on the fabric of the seat.

The whoosh of an automatic door jolted him from his daydream. He opened his eyes and jumped from the seat, whirling around, eyes wide. Balthier stood there, hand hovering over the door button, an eyebrow raised. He had changed clothes, wearing a grease-covered work shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. 

“Come to help with the repairs?” he asked. “Or playing with something that doesn’t belong to you?”

“Yeah,” Vaan stumbled. “No. Just checking on the repairs. You… uh, need help?”

Balthier looked amused by the lie. He settled back, crossing his arms over his chest. “Hard to do much from up here.”

“I was just… um… seeing where you were.”

There was a moment’s hesitation while Balthier searched his eyes. Vaan tried to stay as steady as possible. Then Balthier turned, motioning for Vaan to follow, and sauntered back towards the galley. Vaan followed.

“Job’s nearly done,” Balthier said as he walked. “We blew the capacitor and the regulator’s all torn up, but in a spot of luck, they’ve all the parts I need. Paid a pretty penny for them, but I’m not about to make the same mistake twice in succession.” He ducked into the cabin, where Vaan saw his usual shirt and vest thrown over a chair. “And I’ve met the moogle team here before-- far more trustworthy than those in Balfonheim.”

Casually, Balthier grabbed the hem of his stained work shirt, pulling it up over his head. Vaan couldn’t look away, even if he had wanted to. It wasn’t that the barechestedness was strange. After all, Rabanastre men’s fashion could never be described as prudish. Yet something about the fact that it was Balthier who was so uncharacteristically bare kept him staring. His broad shoulders and the muscles of his back moved beneath the smooth skin as he pulled on his finer, more typical shirt. 

Balthier hadn’t paused in his speech. “Of course, if you want a job done right and all that…” When he turned back, smoothing his cuffs, it took Vaan a second to remember himself-- a long enough second for Balthier to give him a questioning look. 

“I know a guilty look when I see one,” Balthier said. “What did you touch?”

“What?”

“The instrument panel,” Balthier said, tying on his vest. “What did you touch?”

“Nothing, I swear!” 

Balthier ignored him, moving forward, brushing past him, a hand on the center of his chest to move him out of the way. Vaan chased after him back to the cockpit. Balthier was scouring the instrument panel. 

“I-- I just wanted to see what it felt like,” Vaan said sheepishly. Balthier stopped, and looked back at him over his shoulder.

A few more moments, and Balthier relaxed. “You just wanted to see what it felt like.”

“That’s all, I swear.”

Balthier settled his eyes on him. There were a few long, tense moments of silence. Then Balthier stood and moved aside. He made a sweeping gesture towards the captain’s chair. “Then come see what it feels like.”

Vaan felt the excitement flood through him. “Really?”

Balthier gave him a little smirk and a nod, and Vaan rushed back into the seat, the thrill he had felt earlier returning threefold. He was aware of the dumb grin on his face, but decided not to care.

“You don’t know what any of these things actually do, do you?” Balthier asked. Vaan looked back over his shoulder, surprised at how close he was, one arm over each backrest. If Vaan leaned backwards, he’d fall into Balthier’s arms. He tried not to think about that.

“Yeah I do,” Vaan said. He pointed to a few things on the instrument panel. “Altitude, air pressure, cabin pressure. Magicite regulator, engine temperature… so that thing next to it probably ignites the auxiliary engines.”

He looked back over his shoulder, and Balthier was smiling at him. He felt his heart pound harder.

“Color me surprised,” Balthier said. “You must sneak onto airships often, then. Ever fly one before I made you land one this morning?”

To save himself from embarrassment, Vaan responded, "Yeah. Couple times."

Balthier didn’t miss a beat. “What model?”

Vaan hesitated, all knowledge of the airships he had seen suddenly vanishing from his mind. He grappled for some plausible scraps. “A few YR 37s. A KL Garuda once.”

Balthier scoffed. “Repurposed Rozzarian scrap metal. This is a real ship. Say what you want about the Empire, nothing beats Arcadian engine construction. The Strahl here is one of a kind, you know. Fighter ship prototype, but they decided she costs too much to build. They were about to send her to the junk heap until I... liberated her.” He shook his head to clear away the memories. “Airships these days all rely too much on autopilot. Makes flying too easy when you can push a button to take off, push a button to land. You want to fly for real, you take all the guidance systems offline. Nothing left to hold your hand.”

“Yeah, I… uh…” Vaan had noticed a little smudge of black grease on the bottom of Balthier’s chin. He hadn’t seen it before, but with him so close, it was glaringly obvious, standing in such stark contrast with the rest of his impeccable appearance. While he was wondering if he should say something, he realized that Balthier’s eyes were on him, and he was staring, and they were standing together in such heavy silence.

“You’ve got…” Vaan began, choking on his words. “You’ve got something there.” He pointed to his own chin. 

Balthier frowned, and raised a hand to his own face, but the wrong side, rubbing away nothing.

“No, right there,” Vaan said. Before he could think about what he was doing, he licked two of his fingers and rubbed them against the smudge, the same way Penelo’s mother had cleaned bits of dirt from his and Penelo’s own faces when they were children. He didn’t realize he was smearing his own spit on a sky pirate’s face until Balthier caught his wrist, pulled his hand away, and glared at him with a mix of anger and astonishment. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Vaan hurriedly apologized, trying to pull his hand away, but Balthier held onto it, thumb in the center of his palm. “I didn’t mean-- I didn’t think--”

Balthier didn’t look away. He felt the pressure of Balthier’s grip slowly release from his wrist. “Go on and get it, then. The damage has already been done.”

Vaan knew his cheeks were burning. Balthier’s piercing gaze on him, he brought his fingers back up to the nearly-faded smudge on his chin, pressing them against the warm skin. His eyes fluttered between his fingers, Balthier’s green eyes, and the curve of his lower lip, wondering what it would be like to touch his own against it. It was a few short moments, but it felt like an hour before he pulled his hand back.

“There. Got it. Sorry.”

Balthier just shook his head, irritation on his face, and said nothing. Leaning forward, he pressed a few buttons on the console screen, running the Strahl through a diagnostic check. Vaan sat there, feeling stupid. He couldn’t get up with Balthier blocking the way, so he just stewed in his embarrassment. Maybe if he tried hard enough he could find a few more ways to make himself look like an idiot just to grind in the failure. It seemed like ages before Balthier spoke.

“Systems check is good,” he muttered. “And I tightened those couplings and tested those valves myself. One thing left to make sure she’s ship-shape, as it were.” He looked to Vaan, locking eyes for a long, contemplative hesitation.

“You truly want to know what it feels like?” Balthier asked, his voice low. He didn’t wait for an answer. Swerving into the co-pilot’s chair, he hit the communicator. “Bhujerba Tower, this is the Strahl in bay B-8, requesting clearance for departure. I’d like to make a test run with my new parts, if you would be so kind as to hold the bay.”

Vaan began to peel himself off of the seat, but Balthier’s hand on his shoulder held him down. Vaan stared at him, wide-eyed. 

“Can’t fly it if you’re not sitting in the right seat,” Balthier said.

“Seriously?” Vaan’s draw dropped nearly to the floor. 

Balthier smiled slyly. “Not much of a sky pirate if you can’t hear the opportunity knocking.”

The communicator buzzed. “Copy that Strahl, this is Bhujerba Tower. Opening bay doors for departure. Please await clearance, bhadra.”

Vaan grinned wide as the sky bay doors slowly parted above them, letting the sky spill in. Balthier leaned over, pointing to a few switches. “Lifts the ramp, seals the cabin.” He flipped a row of them. “Start up the engine gyros, those switches right there.” He pointed.

Vaan did what he was told, giddiness washing over him as the machines whirred to life behind him, sending vibrations through the machine into his body.

“Radar’s here, clear path to the east, so that’s where you’ll be taking us out,” Balthier said, punching some buttons on the center console screen. “Don’t worry. I have my controls set to override yours if you start doing too terribly.”

The communicator crackled. “Tower to Strahl, bay B-8, you’re all clear for departure. Bay will be held until nineteen hundred. Have a nice day, bhadra.”

“Copy that,” Balthier said while holding down the communicator button. “So polite, these Bhujerbans. Fly into Balfonheim and they’re all holding back curses. Pitch control is here, vertical thrusters engage automatically. Take us up, I’ll handle the landing gear.”

“Got it.” Vaan placed a shaking hand on the lever. He stared at it, feeling his pulse beating in his head. He felt Balthier’s eyes on him, and looked up reluctantly.

“You wanted to know what it felt like,” Balthier said, simply. Vaan could hear the dare in his voice. It seemed to him that Balthier was almost enjoying this, making him uncomfortable and uncertain.

Balthier reached down and placed his hand over Vaan’s, tightening his grip on the lever. “You want to be gentle with her, though she can do a quick ascent in an emergency,” Balthier continued. He pulled the control, Vaan’s hand with it, slowly backwards. The Strahl responded, lifting up from the hangar floor, only shuddering slightly as it lost contact with the ground.

Vaan couldn’t form words. Thoughts were coming at him too quickly. Balthier’s hand on his, the movement of the airship, the beating of his heart, the rush of heat throughout his body. Balthier kept guiding his hand, and Vaan watched the interior of the hanger slowly slide down the cockpit window, the blue sky filling his vision. He felt Balthier’s hand pull away for the last part of the ascent.

“Horizontal thrusters,” Balthier said, flipping some switches on his panel. Vaan felt the movements of the airborne ship as rudders and stabilizing gear slid into place, but didn’t dare make a move. Balthier caught his eye. 

“You said you knew where those were.”

“Right,” Vaan said, and slammed a button on the console while pulling back on the yoke. The Strahl rocketed forward. Vaan panicked and yanked on the steering, sending the Strahl into a forward spin, and both of them yelled in surprise.

Quickly, Balthier hit a few buttons, pulled on his own controls, and the ship gently stabilized and slowed. Vaan was still clutching his now useless controls, scared to look at how angry Balthier must be.

Instead, Balthier was laughing. Vaan got caught up in it, giggling nervously. He looked over at Balthier, and both laughed harder.

“That’s probably what’s going to happen in trial by fire flying lessons, and when one lies about having flown before,” Balthier said. Vaan reddened. “Good news is that the engine’s fully operational. Though perhaps we set a speed modulator.” He punched some buttons on the center console. “All you again.”

Vaan felt the controls in his hands shudder as they became active again. He turned it the slightest bit, feeling a rush as the ship responded. 

“We’re at a low enough altitude that we won’t be in anyone’s flight path,” Balthier said. “And just in case…” Balthier leaned over Vaan’s lap to flip a switch and adjust a dial at his hip. Vaan moved his elbows up out of the way and tried his best to hold the ship steady as Balthier’s head nearly brushed against his stomach. It was only then that sensations in his body caught up with him, and he realized-- with mild panic-- that he was hard, though he couldn’t tell if it was from the feeling of flying or the feeling of Balthier being so close. 

Vaan, with Balthier’s coaching, took the Strahl out into the blue. He got a hang of it quickly, enough to progress to some loops, turns, spins, and a figure eight, only needing Balthier to nudge the ship back into alignment a few times. The entire time, Vaan could feel the adrenaline coursing through him. The thrill of finally being able to fly and to feel the freedom of the skies made the laughter erupt from him. And when he chanced a glance to his right, he saw Balthier smiling, too-- actually smiling, not just smirking after some witty retort. _He loves this just as much as I do._

A few hours in, and the sun began to set, casting pinks and orange glows out over the glittering ocean. The Strahl skimmed over the water with Vaan at the helm, trying to remember when he had last felt so bold, so alive, so unconstrained by situations where he was trying to find a way out, so free.

“We’ll need to get back,” Balthier said, almost reluctantly. He touched some buttons that tinted the windscreen, reducing the glare of the setting sun.

“You sure?” Vaan said, his smile feeling as if it would never wear off. “Twenty more minutes.”

Balthier laughed. “Won’t your girl be worried about you?”

Vaan bit is lower lip, focused on the sky and ocean spreading out before him. “She’s not my girl,” he said. “Penelo. We’re just friends.”

Balthier let his silence stand as his reply.

“Besides,” Vaan said, “she went off shopping with Ashe. Probably having tons of fun.” He pulled the Strahl up into a near-vertical climb back up to the clouds, grinning. “But not as fun as this!”

Eventually, they made it back to Bhujerban airspace, and Balthier coached Vaan through landing and docking the ship. There was far more to consider for landing than for take-off, and Balthier had to lean over and manage some of the technicalities for him, so Vaan could focus on settling the ship into the bay.

“Not bad for your first time,” Balthier said, leaning over the armrest. “You might shape up to be a pilot yet.”

Vaan could barely breathe. His blood was still pumping from the thrill of the flight, and Balthier was right there, and he was so close to him. He didn’t want to get out of the chair, he didn’t want Balthier to move away. Vaan focused again on the sky pirate’s lower lip, the curve of it as it held that confident smirk, and again he wondered what it would feel like.

He leaned forward, meeting Balthier’s lips in a kiss.

He had expected him to pull away. He had expected that same affronted look from earlier, that same irritated dismissal, maybe anger, maybe disgust. But he had to know. And Balthier did pull away, but only slightly, his hand braced on Vaan’s shoulder, confusion on his face. 

Vaan felt his chest heaving. Balthier didn’t say anything, holding his gaze. Instead, the hand on Vaan’s shoulder slid closer, along his neck, up along his jaw. Slowly, Balthier’s thumb traced over his bottom lip, just barely making contact, teasing. Without really being conscious of the decision, Vaan parted his lips, letting Bathier’s thumb fall into his mouth, against his tongue. He sucked it in lightly, looking up at Balthier the whole time. The pirate arched an eyebrow.

“So that explains the guilty look earlier,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Vaan was reluctant to let him pull his thumb away. Balthier was hesitating. Contemplating. But when he decided, he leaned down into an urgent kiss, hand curling around the back of Vaan’s neck, tangling into his hair, pulling him towards him. In the same moment, he blindly hit a button on the control panel, and the cockpit windows darkened, the tint barring any suspicious eyes from seeing inside.

Vaan shot forward, pent-up frustration propelling him. He flung his arms over Balthier’s shoulders, pulling them together, hungrilly. Vaan felt Balthier’s touch beneath the hem of his vest, sliding up against his bare chest. When he brushed across his nipples, Vaan shivered with the tingle of sensitivity. He tried to shrug off the vest, not wanting to limit Balthier’s touch, but at the movement, he felt the sudden, jarring absence of Balthier’s lips.

Vaan opened his eyes, expecting to wake up any moment.

Instead, he saw Balthier settling back into the co-pilot’s chair, hand on his chin. As he gave Vaan a piercing look like a chess master contemplating his next move, he ran a finger across his own lips.

“Let me guess,” he said, his voice soft and low. “You wanted to know what it felt like.”

“Not much of a sky pirate if I can’t hear opportunity knocking,” Vaan said, trying to sound as smooth as Balthier had when he had said those same words earlier. Vaan held his gaze, sliding his vest off his shoulders slowly. The corner of Bathier’s mouth angled ever so slightly into a smirk.

Vaan moved forward, straddling Balthier’s lap in the co-pilot’s seat, knees on either side of him. He found his lips again, sinking into the kiss. Balthier’s touch slid up his back, holding Vaan to him, his kiss moving down his neck. Vaan tilted his head back, shuddering with the sensation. His blood was boiling, every touch of Balthier’s fingers leaving lingering trails of heat across his skin while Balthier sucked at his neck, making him feel as if he were melting with growing desire.

A small moan escaped his throat as Bathier’s hands curved around his waist, moving back along his ass. He only squeezed a little, but Vaan’s overcharged nerves sent him forward, up onto his knees, pressing his body closer. Balthier held onto him, mouth finding Vaan’s nipple, sucking lightly. Vaan’s fingers curled around into the short hairs at the back of Balthier’s neck, holding him against his chest. 

Vaan had been conscious of his hardening arousal since Balthier had first leaned over him. Now, his cock pressed against him through only a few layers of clothing, aching. A shift of his hips rubbed it between their bodies, offering some relief for his yearning. He had long since left behind any scraps of nervousness, now just swimming in the pleasure and sensation of Balthier touching him, kissing him, being so close to him. He felt Balthier’s hand slide onto his cock, over the cloth. His breath caught in his throat, a shiver rolling through him at the pressure of Balthier’s touch. He braced himself on Balthier’s shoulders, pulling away to steady himself, nearly dizzy.

Balthier lifted a hand to stroke his face, seeking his eyes again. Vaan sank his cheek against it.

Balthier’s voice was softer than he had ever heard it. “You… have done this before, correct?”

“Yeah,” Vaan lied. The whole of the Empire’s Armada wouldn’t stop him now.

Vaan untied the sash from his waist quickly, hoping that the trembling of his fingers wasn’t completely obvious. While he leaned back to drop it to the floor, Balthier was already deftly undoing the fastenings on his pants. Vaan hooked a thumb on each side, sliding the cloth down around the curve of his ass, freeing his straining cock from the confines of clothing. He straightened, watching Balthier take in the sight of his body bared to mid-thigh, trying hard to downplay the flush in his face. 

Balthier kissed his neck again and curled his fingers around Vaan’s cock, stroking slowly, deliberately, enough to make Vaan squeeze his eyes closed and bite his bottom lip. With his other hand, Balthier grabbed onto his ass, almost aggressively. Vaan wrapped his arms around Balthier’s shoulders as the thrill spiked his nerves.

He felt the pressure building. It was all too much, all at once. Vaan could feel himself getting close, felt his muscles tensing, but he didn’t want it yet. He didn’t want it to be over, didn’t want Balthier to think he didn’t know what he was doing. He made the agonizing decision to slide backwards, out of Balthier’s touch, sinking down to his knees between his legs. He looked up at him, face flushed and eyes wide, reaching for Balthier’s belt.

Eyes still focused intensely on Vaan’s, Balthier helped Vaan’s stumbling fingers, pushing away the cloth to free his own arousal from within. Vaan stared at it for a long moment, then looked back up at Balthier uncertainly. He had done this in his dreams, but now it was real. He slid his hand over the length, stroking gently. He licked his lips in another moment of hesitation. Then he leaned forward, and took Balthier into his mouth. 

Balthier let out the smallest of sighs as Vaan slid him as far into his throat as he dared. When he pulled back, he looked up, watching Balthier watch him. Balthier’s hand combed through Vaan’s hair, brushing it back from his forehead. Vaan worked his lips and tongue as best as he could, thinking only that he couldn’t believe that this was actually happening. He wanted to take all of Balthier into his throat, and he pushed further, deeper, until he couldn’t take any more. He choked, pulling back, eyes watering. He stared at Bathier’s cock, slick with his saliva, and wanted so much more.

He stood, quickly unfastening his boots and sliding out of his pants. Balthier watched him strip naked in the cockpit of the Strahl, and when Vaan hesitated, he reached for him, pulling him up on top of him once more. Vaan let himself fall into a kiss and Bathier’s hands returned to his body, all his nerves reacting at the slightest touch. He reached for Balthier’s cock again, sliding forward to straddle him, angling it against his entrance. 

Vaan inhaled deeply. He didn’t want to let Balthier know how much he wanted it.

“Vaan,” Balthier said with soft caution.

“I know what I’m doing,” Vaan said. He pressed against him, but his body was tense and uncooperative. It wasn’t fair. He wanted it so badly.

“You... may have lied more than once today.”

Vaan looked up into his eyes, panicked that he had ruined it all somehow, in some way he didn’t even realize. But Balthier wasn’t irritated. His lips were softly parted, his expression with a hint of dreaminess to it. 

He shifted, guiding Vaan back up to his feet, settling him back into the captain’s chair. Vaan sank down into it, the cushion of the seat rubbing against his hypersensitive bare body. He couldn’t help but feel defeated. Balthier leaned over him and pulled a handle on the back of the chair, reclining it. Vaan sank backwards as Balthier knelt.

Balthier slid his mouth over Vaan’s cock, the warmth overtaking him in an instant. Vaan moaned, unabashedly, as the pleasure rolled through him. He could now feel everything he had been doing wrong, as Balthier’s lips and tongue toyed with him. Vaan curled one of his legs over Balthier’s shoulder, while Balthier angled the other one over the armrest. Vaan sank back into the seat cushion, sensation keeping his eyes closed and mouth open in a groan of pleasure, one hand creeping up his own chest. The peak was coming fast, he knew. He couldn’t control his voice any longer, all wanton gasps and moans. He felt the heat rush through him, felt the hard release of his climax, felt Balthier’s mouth still working at him until the orgasm had left Vaan in a glowing haze. 

There were a few long moments where all Vaan could do was breathe. He looked down at Balthier, who wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and stood up, still fully clothed save for the hard cock Vaan had taken out and sucked. 

“Don’t move,” Balthier said, and vanished from a confused Vaan’s field of vision. 

He became aware of the absurd fact that he was lying naked in the pilot’s seat of a sky pirate’s airship, brain too fuzzy to worry much about where Balthier went. He struggled a little to sit up and look back down the bridge, just as Balthier walked back into view.

He was fully nude, and Vaan had to stare. His body was all sleek muscle, like a panther, and Vaan followed the lines of his chest, the deep v line leading towards his cock, the muscle on his arms and thighs. Vaan didn’t even notice he had something in his hand until he sauntered closer.

“You couldn’t possibly have thought we were finished, did you?” he said, manipulating the small tube of something in his hands, before setting it aside. “Can’t leave something half done. Leads to all sorts of complications.”

Before Vaan could reply, Balthier guided him back into the chair, throwing each of his legs over the armrests, spreading him compromisingly open. He bent down over him, kissing him again. Vaan could feel the substance on his fingers, slippery and cold enough to make him shiver, as Balthier slid them against his entrance. He circled slowly, reigniting Vaan’s inner fire, assailing his brain with sensation new and ardent and pleasurable. Balthier’s kiss muffled his moan. Then his fingers slid inside him.

He hadn’t been prepared for how easy Balthier had made it, or how intense the feeling was. His nerves made his muscles twitch involuntarily, making him twist against the seat behind him against Balthier’s motions as pleasure built inside him once again. 

Balthier slowed, then slid out of him, watching until Vaan opened his eyes. 

“Don’t stop,” he said, between heavy breaths.

Balthier only gave him a sly smile. He shifted over Vaan in the seat, kissing him again, guiding himself into the right position. Then he hesitated, looking down at Vaan below him, whose face showed equal parts apprehension and want.

Vaan reached out for Bathier’s hips, his hands around his ass, and pulled their bodies together. Balthier slid inside him, Vaan gasping at the feeling of being filled. He sank his fingers into Balthier’s ass, wanting more, wanting to pull him in further, but Balthier went almost agonizingly slow, sliding into him only a fraction at a time. He would pull out just a little, then push forward, all the while turning Vaan into a gasping mess. Once he had buried himself to the hilt, he started moving a little faster, thrusting just a little harder.

Vaan writhed beneath him, overcome with sensation. Balthier had found a rhythm now, and Vaan could only hold on to him, mind unable to focus on anything but the assaling pleasure of Balthier moving within him, of his body so hot and close, of his lips on his neck, sucking lightly. He could feel the crescendo of Balthier’s movements building, harder and faster, though something about them still felt measured-- slowed enough to savor the sensation but edging towards something greater. Vaan curled his arms around Balthier’s shoulders. The last thing he wanted to do was to let go.

With one last, long thrust, Balthier reached his peak, sighing against Vaan’s cheek. Vaan sank into the strangely satisfying knowledge that Balthier had come inside of him. He hooked his legs around Balthier’s waist, holding them together. Balthier looked down at him, hazy contentment in his expression, then kissed him, long and hard.

\--- --- ---

It was dark by the time Balthier left the Aerodrome. Vaan had been reluctant to leave first, determined to stay by his side-- but Balthier had insisted. The last thing he needed was Ashe’s judgement or questioning.

At the inn, Balthier stopped by Fran’s room to check on her. She was up, sitting near the window, fashioning arrows to replenish her stock. He told her about the ship, but had come too close to do so. He watched her shoulders straighten, her nose twitch as she looked at him strangely. 

“Vaan,” she said. Balthier didn’t hear any accusation in her voice, and only the slightest inking of surprise, as if she wondered if she were mistaken. But there was no fooling a Viera’s sense of smell. “You should not have done that,” she said.

“Don’t be jealous, Fran. You know you’re the only girl for me.”

She shook her head, giving him one of her patronizing smiles. “Now you will not be rid of him.”

“Humes don’t pair bond like that. Not to worry.”

“Humes?” she asked, a chilly slyness to her voice. “Or just this Hume?”

Balthier didn’t rise to meet her game of repartee as he may have in the past. There was too much on his mind. Specifically, something Reddas had mentioned, before they had left.

“You know,” he began slowly, “perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad thing.”

She arched an eyebrow at him.

“To have an apprentice.”


End file.
